Red
by GreenEyesFreckles87
Summary: Twins. Two of them. One of each. A boy and a girl. Kyle had talked all night about Judgement Day, the War Against the Machines, and their son, John, who would lead Humanity to victory at the End of the World, but he hadn't said one word about her, their daughter. Why? Was it because she was not as important as John? Or was it because she was more important? Derek/OC.
1. The Blue Ribbon

I recently started re-watching the show and the idea for this fic hit me last night, so I thought I'd give it a go. If you visit my Profile, you'll find links for Elena and other original characters that will be in this story. It begins during episode 2x02, just before John brings Riley home for the first time. The character of Elena is based upon the character of Elena Gilbert on the television series 'The Vampire Diaries'. Don't forget to review! Enjoy!

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_Twins. Two of them. One of each. A boy and a girl. Kyle had talked all night about Judgement Day, the War Against the Machines, and their son, John, who would lead Humanity to victory at the End of the World, but he hadn't said one word about her, their daughter. Why? Was it because she was not as important as John? Or was it because she was more important? Either way, Sarah had kept her close. Just as close as John. She trained her in the same ways she did him, but, at the same time, it was different. She felt a bit of freedom with her, with her daughter. She'd always wanted a girl. Even at eighteen, the young age she'd become pregnant at, she knew she wanted a daughter in her lifetime. And she got her, as the biggest surprise of her life. Sarah named her baby girl, who was born moments after her brother, just as the sun rose, Elena, the Light of the Sun._

Elena came downstairs of their new home. For a year, at least. Kacey said the family was in Tokyo for a year. She'd changed out of her Cheerleading Uniform and into boots, black leggings, and a flowy red halter top. Her long silky pin straight dark brown hair was still up in its ponytail and adorned with the blue ribbon.

While John had been ushered off to school, Elena had to quickly catch up to her friends, and head off to a Cheerleading Competition a few miles away. She'd covered her cuts as best as possible with makeup on the ride there, telling her teammates she and her family had been in a car accident. Of course all Caroline, the Captain, had been concerned with was how Elena would look in the photographs. They'd won first place and she had just been dropped off at her new home. Elena promised them they'd celebrate tomorrow. But, today, her Mom was in overprotective mode, and she'd been lucky she'd been allowed to go to the Competition at all.

John had given up fitting in a long time ago and Elena couldn't blame him. But, no matter where they went, she always seemed to make friends right off the bat, and fell in love with Cheerleading as soon as they started High School, so she stuck with it, wherever they went. It was a great way to meet people, fit in, and stayed toned, ready to flee, or fight, for her life. That's how she explained it to Sarah, when her Mom immediately protested something so open.

Elena hadn't been here when a Soldier from the Future came crashing in through the dual glass living room doors and died right there on the floor, after uttering a quick message to Cameron, Derek, and Sarah. But her Mother had texted her all the details.

After seeing the house quickly with her family and the pregnant neighbor, Kacey, Elena had to take off, catch her ride to the Competition. But she'd laughed, as she read the message from her Mom before her Team took the stage, that the place they'd been in only a few hours had already been found and broken into by someone from the Future. Sarah had told her she, Cameron, and Derek were going to check out the Plant the man had mentioned, so the house would most likely be empty when she got home, and it was.

But Elena had just reached the bottom step when the front door opened and Derek came in.

"Hey," he said, quickly closing and locking the door behind him.

"Hey," Elena responded. "How'd it go at the Plant?"

"Your Mom and Cameron got in," replied Derek. "Sarah wanted me to come home and check on you."

Elena laughed softly. "Well, that's so sweet of you, _Uncle_ Derek."

She always put an emphasis on 'Uncle' when she talked to him. She didn't see him as her Uncle. He was her Father's brother. Her Father, whom she never knew, who was dead, and whom she wouldn't meet for another twenty years. Elena knew it was wrong, she knew her Mother and her brother wouldn't understand, but, despite that, and the fact that he'd only come into their lives a couple months ago, she was already hopelessly and irrevocably in love with Derek, and she knew he was with her too. She was 17, she didn't know how to handle it, so she just teased him, mercilessly, like any other teenage girl does a boy she knows likes her. Only Derek wasn't a boy, he was a man. One Hell of one too.

"It's too bad you didn't come home a few minutes earlier, you would've gotten to see me in my Uniform," Elena said, stepping off of the stairs, and quirking a playful dark brown finely sculpted brow at him, as she walked by him.

Derek sighed. He both dreaded and looked forward to these moments with Elena. God, he loved her so much. She was the reason he came back. She was the reason he wanted to change the Future. He hadn't a clue he was actually her Uncle until recently. When he'd fallen in love with her, in the Future, he had no idea his beloved baby brother, Kyle, was actually her and John's Father. How could he? But, despite the fact that he'd come back in time to his Elena being his teenage Niece, he would still do anything for her, he would still die for her, and he would love her with every fiber of his Being for the rest of his life.

Elena had no clue she was in love with Derek in the Future. He wouldn't tell her something like that. He only revealed he knew he was her and John's Uncle on their Birthday a couple days ago, when he took them to the park, to see a younger version of himself and Kyle, playing ball. But it was like she still somehow knew. Maybe not about their Future, but Derek had no doubt she already knew she loved him now. And, of course, she didn't know how to handle it. How _do_ you handle falling in love under all of these unbelievable circumstances?

"Hey," Derek said, reaching out with a large strong warm battle roughened hand to grab her flawless silky smooth slender upper arm as she passed in front of him.

Her skin was so perfect. It was pure satin to the touch, and a gorgeous creamy light mocha in color. His skin was naturally tan, but rough from years of fighting the War Against the Machines, and marred with so many scars, as well as tattoos, he could barely remember the story behind every one anymore. But Elena, there wasn't a single mark on her, and he intended to keep it that way.

"Why do you do this?" he asked, lifting his blue-green gaze to meet her own chocolate brown. Those big brown eyes, like liquid pools of chocolate, could get him to do anything. His normally deep, husky voice was even lower now, almost a whisper. "This weird flirty thing, it's wrong." Now it was his turn to quirk a brow at her. "You know that, right?"

"Why is it wrong?" inquired Elena, shifting a bit in his grip to better face him, even as he didn't relinquish his hold on her arm. His hand was so warm, and his skin was so rough from all of the battles that he's fought, but yet still remained gentle with her. She could easily slip out of his grip, he was only holding her there so long as she wanted. "Because you're my Uncle? Or because here, now, you're in your 30s and I'm 17?"

She slipped out of his hold then, and continued on toward the kitchen, the empty kitchen. She'd been planning to go to the grocery store before Derek came in. Elena only did it because she knew he'd chase her, and she wanted that.

"Because of _both_!" Derek exclaimed, grabbing Elena's arm again, and this time using the hold to spin her around, then push her up against the nearest wall, where he grasped her other upper arm with his other hand, so that he had a mirror hold on her on either side of her body, which started to react to his touch, her chest was rising further with each breath she took. His breath was hot on her face and his eyes were wide.

"Since when do you care about what's right, _Uncle_ Derek?" Elena asked, his name and title slipping off of her tongue like the sweetest sin.

He broke. It was too much, having her this close, he could feel her body heat, her silky skin beneath his hands, her scent was enveloping him like an embrace, and her soft curves were only inches away. Swooping down, like a Predator descending on its prey, he captured her lush pink lips with his own rough scruff surrounded set in a kiss that was immediately bruising, passionate, and breathtaking, yet filled with love.

Elena instantly returned the kiss, pushing up on him, as her hands reached blindly for anything of his she could get her hands on, and her fingers ended up curling around the open flaps of his jacket, a hold she used to tug him closer, even as he was rooted into his spot, as if his feet were glued to the floor.

Moaning softly, Derek lifted a large hand to tangle in her velvet-like chocolate tresses, his fingers dug into her scalp, while the shorter sections of her ponytail fell over the back of his limb, to tickle the rough dark skin there.

Elena managed to lift her hands beneath their bodies, and place them flat on his hard muscled chest, which was currently heaving, as was hers, from the efforts of him trying to breath, and contain his powerful male form's instinctive reactions to having his girl here in his arms, after so long.

She could feel his heart beating about a mile a minute and she immediately loved that she could have that kind of reaction on him, but she didn't have much time to dwell on it, as soon, his hot slick tongue was probing at her lips, which she parted, allowing him passage into her mouth, where he explored every depth and crevice, as if he was searching for some hidden treasure, which, in truth, he was.

Elena whimpered softly, her back was being forced against some light switches on the wall, it hurt, but she didn't care. She cupped either side of his handsome face, as his hand not entwined in her hair suddenly shot out, and hit the wall, palm open, to brace himself.

He was losing control. He knew he was. Otherwise he would've pulled back at her whimper. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, even the pleasurable kind of pain. But all he could think about doing right now was gathering her up into his arms and carrying her upstairs to the room she and Cameron would be sharing. Even the thought of the Machine he despised and didn't want around John and his Elena couldn't tear him from this moment, though something else did.

The front door opened and John came in with a pretty blond girl. The sound of their voices before they actually entered tore Derek from his hase of passion and he stepped back, away from Elena, releasing his hold on her, which immediately caused a cold, empty feeling to wash over him.

He was panting somewhat heavily, as was she, and for a second they just stared at each other, before Elena lifted a hand to her lightly swollen lips, then took a step out from being hidden by Derek's form, revealing herself to her brother and the girl.

"Hey," Elena said with a bright smile, swiftly striding over to hug John. "I missed you today."

John lifted an arm to hug his sister back. There really weren't words to describe what Elena meant to him, how much he loved her. She was his twin, they'd shared a womb together, and, for the past 17 years, have always been there for each other, especially in the moments they felt like they couldn't go to Sarah, which seem to be becoming more frequent.

"I missed you too," he said. His brow was furrowed as he hugged her in return. He flicked a glance past her at Derek, who'd turned to face them, placing his hands on his lean hips, while Elena came to hug John. "How was the Competition?" he asked, when they broke apart, a soft smile now on his handsome young face.

"We won!" Elena said triumphantly.

John chuckled softly and lifted a hand to High Five his twin. "All right!"

Grasping her hand in the air, they lowered their limbs together, while John shifted his attention onto the pretty blond he'd brought home, who was standing beside him, watching the interaction between them, with a soft smile.

"Uh, Ellie, this is Riley," he said, gesturing at her with his free hand. "We met at school today. And I, uh. . . thought I'd show her the new house." He chuckled nervously at that, he'd never brought a girl home before, he'd never brought _anybody_ home before, and he knew their Mom will have a cow when she finds out.

Elena could read the emotions in John's eyes. She knew too that Sarah won't approve of John bringing somebody to their new house on the first day they're in it, let alone at all, so she knew John was counting on her to be friendly to this Riley, before she has to deal with their Mom's wrath.

So, Elena smiled brightly, moving closer to the girl, and offering her her hand. "Hi, Riley. It's nice to meet you. I'm Elena, John's sister."

Riley smiled back and shook Elena's hand. "Hi, it's nice to meet you too. Uh, you guys have another sister too, right? Cameron?" She flicked a questioning gaze between John and Elena as she spoke.

"Yeah, we do," John replied, shifting a bit uncomfortably on his combat booted feet. Elena knew of her twin's feelings for the Machine, and she was surprised at how much he'd already told Riley. John never opened up to anybody this much, and not just because it was against the rules.

Clearing his throat, John looked over at Derek, and lifted his hand again, this time to gesture at the man. "This is our Uncle Derek." His hand moved to the pretty blond girl. "Derek, this is Riley."

Derek moved forward, sending the girl a smile, as he offered her the hand that had only a moment ago been lost in Elena's silky hair. "Hey, Riley. Nice to meet you."

Riley nodded her blond head at him, while briefly shaking his hand. "You too."

"So, I was just about to head to the grocery store while Mom and Cameron are out," Elena said, offering John and Riley another smile, even as her heartbeat picked up at the nearness of Derek, making her incredibly thankful Cameron wasn't here to immediately notice it and most likely bring it up. "Do you guys wanna come help?"

John sent his twin a grateful look. Their Mom would've shut that idea down in a split second, but Elena both offered and truly meant it. "Yeah, that'd be cool." He flicked a questioning glance at Riley. "What do you say?"

Riley too seemed bewildered she was being so quickly accepted by Elena and she smiled so bright and wide she thought her face was going to freeze like that. "Yeah, sure."

Nodding, Elena flicked a glance up at Derek, before returning her gaze to John and Riley, and raising a slender hand to gesture at the stairs. "Well, I'm gonna go fix my hair and grab my coat."

Derek barely registered John's agreement, then offer to show Riley his room while they waited for Elena, as all he could see was his girl, flicking a last glance at him, before she disappeared upstairs, and he followed her every move until he could no longer see her boots.

"Derek?" John's voice suddenly broke through to his Uncle.

"What?" he responded, his gaze shooting to his Nephew, he hoped he hadn't been trying to get his attention for long.

"I was just asking you if you wanted to come along," replied John.

"Uh," Derek uttered, before shaking his head and quickly pasting a smile onto his handsome face. "No, thanks. But here." He dug into his pockets and pulled out the keys to the Dodge Ram. "You guys take the truck. I kind of feel like going for a walk."

John took the keys from his Uncle, his brow furrowed again. He knew he'd walked in on something, interrupted something, between he and his sister, but he didn't know what, or if he was upset or glad he did. He knew there was something going on between them, but he kept it to himself, much like Elena did over John's obvious feelings for Cameron.

"Okay," John replied, offering his Uncle a last smile, before he lifted a hand to Riley's back, and used it to guide her upstairs. "See you later then."

Derek nodded and watched his Nephew and the girl go upstairs, then bolted out the door as quickly as he could, pausing outside to lean back against it, where he took in a few deep breaths to calm the still fast beating of his heart, before continuing on.

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"I liked your ribbon," said Riley, as she, Elena, and John stood in the cereal aisle of the grocery store with their cart. "The one you had in your hair earlier."

Elena had taken her hair out of the ponytail, which Derek had messed up during their kiss, and pinned only a few tresses up with a clip.

"Thanks," she replied with a smile. "One of John and I's former schools was at the Competition, so I ran into my old team. We would wear blue ribbons in our hair with our uniforms. My friend Amy gave me hers when my team won, I guess as a 'Congratulations' gift. I think she could tell I miss the ribbons. Caroline, my Captain here, has such a stick up her ass about our uniforms. We can't wear any jewelry, our hair has to be high up in a tight ponytail, and we all even have to wear the exact same pair of white sneakers, which cost a couple hundred bucks."

Riley's eyes widen and her blond brow quirked. "Wow, that sucks."

"Yeah," John chuckled, as he reached for a box of Fruit Loops, Elena's current favorite cereal. "Mom was _not_ happy about that."

"You have really pretty hair, Elena," said Riley, gesturing at her nearly waist length razor straight chocolate tresses. "I wish my hair was that effortless." She absently plucked at her slightly messy loose golden curls.

Elena shrugged her shoulders, as John passed her a couple boxes of cereal. "You just need the right curling iron. And I've actually been thinking about changing my hair up. I feel like I've had this look forever. You know, we passed by a Salon on the way here, maybe after this we could stop by. My treat."

Riley's eyes widened. "Really? Are you sure?"

"Now, wait a minute," John interrupted, turning to the cart with a smile, he really owed Elena big for this, but couldn't help still teasing them like a guy and a brother would. "What am I supposed to do while you two are getting buffed and oiled?"

Elena shrugged again. "I don't know. You already got a hot new 'do." She reached out and ruffled John's spiky hair, which he immediately ducked out of, smiling brightly, while Elena turned her gaze back onto Riley. "He _did_ tell you he went crazy and chopped all of his hair off the other day, right?"

Riley shook her head, even as Elena dug into her pocket in search of her phone. "I've got a bunch of pictures of him before he chopped it all off."

John's eyes widened at Elena's actions and words, and he immediately set the box of cereal he'd picked up down, for some reason caring more than he should about what they get for Cameron, then reached for his sister. "Elena, no."

Elena got her phone out before John could stop her and moved into place beside Riley, where she brought up a photo of her and her twin. Riley laughed and brought a hand up to her mouth, while Elena giggled too.

"Elena, stop it! No, don't! Give me that!" John reached for Elena's phone, but she ducked away from him this time, and he chased after her down the aisle, laughing, as he continued to grab in vain for her.

"All your power was in your hair, 'cause you're slow now, brother," Elena giggled.

Riley watched as the twin brother and sister interacted. John eventually grabbed Elena around the waist from behind, but she held her phone out of his reach, and they were both so crippled with laughter, Riley doubted either of them was really even trying. How could a Machine come between them? Jesse told her Cameron had, or, more correctly, _would_. John was so lost, in the Future, he was trusting a Machine over his own twin sister. What happened for that to occur? Jesse hadn't told her that.

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Please review! Let me know what you think! :)


	2. Red

Thanks for the feedback! Yes, there will be some Cameron and John in this fic, but it's mainly about Elena, and her relationship with Derek.

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The new house was still empty when Elena, John, and Riley came home. They'd stopped at the Salon and Elena had treated Riley to a Blowout, while she got a whole new 'do. She had a couple inches cut off, the remaining silky dark chocolate tresses loosely curled, and ruby red highlights added in.

"Where did your Mom and your sister go? The North Pole?" Riley joked, as the three of them set the grocery bags down onto the small Island counter.

Elena and John shared a look. They knew where the rest of their family was, at the local bar, getting Intel for the Power Plant.

"Uh, I think they're getting the rest of our stuff from the old place," Elena quickly lied, while she began to unpack the groceries. "Come on. There's ice cream in here. We should get it into the freezer before it completely melts."

"Well, you're the one who insisted on a Salon Day at night," replied John, sending his twin a playful look.

"Hey, not everybody is lucky enough to be as naturally beautiful as you," Elena joked, reaching over with a bright smile to poke John in the cheek with one of her slender fingers.

John laughed and lifted a hand to gently bat his sister's away from him with a chuckle.

"You know," Riley said. "Instead of putting this ice cream away, we could always eat it." Her blue eyes sparkled mischievously, as she held up the container of partially melted Rocky Road. "You guys got spoons?"

Elena and John shared another look, their chocolate brown and emerald green eyes glittering too, before the latter moved off to search the drawers for spoons.

Riley opened the ice cream, and she and Elena dipped their fingers in to scoop up a bit of the delicious treat, then suckle it from the tips of their digits.

"So, is your Mom gonna freak out about your hair?" Riley asked, nodding her head at Elena's now loosely curled, ruby highlighted tresses.

Elena shrugged. "Right now, I'd be surprised if she even noticed my hair was different. Mainly what she's gonna notice when they get here is that my brother brought home a girl for the first time."

Riley's eyes widened and she flicked a glance over at where John was now blushing by the silverware drawer. "You've never brought a girl home before? Why? Is that a problem?" Her gaze was concerned and questioning, as it switched from John to Elena, and then back again.

As if on cue, the sudden sound of an approaching engine filled their ears, followed by the headlights flooding the living room. John grimaced as if he just ate something foul. The living room went dark again and the three listened as the occupants of the vehicle exited and came up to the front door, which next opened, and Cameron, Derek, and Sarah came striding in. Their Mom went straight for the kitchen, as if her Spidey Senses alerted her to a rule being broken there.

"John? Elena?" she said, as she entered the kitchen, and her gaze immediately whipped to the pretty blond girl with her children. "Who are you?"

Elena's rich dark chocolate hued orbs lifted to Derek, as he brushed past her, carrying a pizza she guessed they'd gotten for dinner. For a moment, she thought he was going to walk right into the wall, as he gazed back down at her in return, his blue eyes slightly wide. Well, he noticed her hair right off.

Derek almost choked on his tongue. Red. Her red flowy halter top was mostly hidden, as she still had her black leather jacket on, but it was the red highlights in her now loosely curled hair that startled him. That's how her hair was in the Future, how it was when he met her, when he fell in love with her. Now he knew when she'd gotten it done like that. He loved her red highlights. They always mesmerized him when she turned quickly, a bright shock of color amongst her dark locks that, for a moment, made him forget everything, wiped his memory of anything but her and those red highlights. Even when her hair was soaking wet, you could still see them.

He recovered before running into the wall and disappeared into the kitchen to compose himself, while Elena turned back to her and John's Mom, and Cameron, who's outfit made her eyes widen a bit, even as Sarah's made her wanna laugh. It's like they couldn't decide how to seduce the Plant men, with either barely no clothes at all or so many it'd confuse them.

"This is Riley," John said, his voice already laced with anger at his Mom's rude greeting of the girl. "From school."

"Hi, Mom," said Riley, smiling as Sarah, and Elena grimaced this time. Not the way to greet the Mother of the Future Leader of Mankind.

"Let's talk," Sarah said, fixing her gaze on John. "You and I."

John flicked a glance at Elena, who told him with her expression that she'd protect Riley from Cameron, whom they'd soon be alone with, so he followed their Mom into the living room.

Cameron didn't miss a beat. She almost instantly stepped up into Riley's personal space and stared at her without blinking, or moving, in that way she always does. Riley immediately looked uncomfortable.

Elena stepped forward, moving around behind Cameron, and lifting her slender hands to the Machine's bare shoulders. "Uh, Cameron, come help me with the groceries. Our Guest shouldn't have to do chores."

Sending Riley what she hoped was a reassuring smile, she applied some pressure to Cameron's shoulders, but, unless she moved, it was like pushing against a brick wall. Cameron flicked a glance over at Elena, then allowed her to move her. She guided her toward the kitchen.

"Make yourself at home," Elena said to Riley, as she and Cameron passed by the girl.

Once in the kitchen, Elena moved to continue unpacking the groceries. Derek was nowhere to be found, the pizza sat on the stove, so Elena quickly turned it on to warm, and stuck the pizza inside to keep it hot until Mom and John got done with their daily drama, before putting the lid on the ice cream Riley left on the counter, and sticking it in the freezer.

"Do you know her?" Cameron asked, standing there, watching Elena.

"I do as of a few hours ago," replied Elena, before sending the Machine a 'look'. "Be nice."

"I don't know how to be nice," said Cameron.

"Don't kill her," Elena said with a small smile. "That's nice enough."

Cameron nodded, then began to walk around the small Island counter. Elena thought she was going to help her with the groceries, but instead she set a bunch of bills in front of her.

"I played Pool tonight. I won a lot of money. Here's some for you," she said, as Elena stared at first the bills, then her, in confusion.

"Why are you giving me money?" Elena asked.

"Because you're a girl," Cameron replied. "Girls need money. For clothes, for shoes, for make-up."

Elena laughed softly, as she took the money, folded the bills up, and put them in the pocket of her jacket. She wasn't going to turn down free money, especially since she had a feeling Sarah was going to make her pay for treating Riley to a Blowout at the Salon. "Is that something John taught you? In the Future."

Cameron gently shook her head, her made beautiful face wasn't yet healed from where it'd been torn open in the explosion. Maybe it would be if she hadn't stapled it back together. "No, you did."

Elena's brow furrowed. She'd been putting the milk in the fridge when Cameron said that and now turned to face her. "What?"

"You taught me things, in the Future," Cameron replied. "Things about being a girl. What it meant, what I'd need to know to be one."

Elena sighed, grabbing the orange juice, and putting it next to the milk. "You're not a girl, Cameron. You're a Machine. Machines don't have genders."

"But I'm anatomically correct," said Cameron.

Elena closed the fridge door on her fingers at that. "Ow!"

Cameron walked around the Island counter to Elena, taking the hand she was rubbing the fingers of in her own grasp to inspect it for injuries. "They're not broken," she stated, lifting her gaze to Elena's after a quick scan.

"Thank you," Elena said, pulling her hand from Cameron's, and giving the limb a shake, as she returned to the groceries.

"That's why the men at the bar let me play with them and take their money," said Cameron. "Right?"

Elena sighed again. "Yes, men love women's bodies." She flicked a glance over at Cameron and gestured at the Machine's outfit. "Especially when they're on display like that."

Cameron flicked a glance in the living room's direction, then returned her questioning brown gaze to Elena. "But then why did the Plant Manager talk to your Mom? And why did John talk to me when we first met? We weren't on display."

Elena sighed again. But she turned to face Cameron and do her best to explain. "That's because some men are better than others. Some men don't care if you're naked or if you're bundled up for a blizzard. They see other things beside your body."

"Like what?" Cameron asked, with a quirk of her brow.

"Like your mind," Elena replied. "Or your personality."

Cameron looked thoughtful for a moment, before lifting her gaze back to Elena. "But they can't see those things. Not like they can your body."

"They don't literally see them, with their eyes, but they know they're there. They can feel it," said Elena. "They know it."

Cameron looked thoughtful again. Elena knew what she said probably didn't make any sense to the Machine. It's nearly impossible to explain things to Metal, but, for John, she'd do anything.

"Can you teach me?" Cameron finally asked. Elena was convinced she'd gone into some sort of Power Down mode, she'd been so silent and still, and so she'd continued on with the groceries. "Can you teach me how to be a girl? Like you were?"

Elena turned to face Cameron, a bag of cinnamon raisin bagels in her one hand, while the other rested on the counter. She surveyed the Machine for a moment, she knew she was serious, Cameron didn't joke around, and not just because she didn't know how.

"Fine," she said, and Cameron actually smiled at her. "But not tonight. Go upstairs, wash your face, and change into something more decent, please."

Cameron flicked a glance at herself, then nodded at Elena, and turned, leaving the kitchen, before heading upstairs.

_"Great," _Elena thought. _"I'm the Mother to a teenage girl Machine."_

Elena continued with the groceries. She was putting the four boxes of cereal away when she noticed her Mom was watching her, leaning against the wall, her slender arms crossed over her chest.

"Hey," Elena said, turning back to get cookies next, holding up the Oreos to Sarah. "I got you your favorite."

Sarah smiled softly. "Thanks, baby girl."

She moved further into the kitchen, reaching into the nearest grocery bag to help her daughter unload. "Your brother threw a tantrum, marched upstairs with Riley."

"Well, after everything he's been through, he deserves to get a little action," Elena said, a bright smile tugging almost painfully at her lush pink lips.

Sarah gasped, reaching out to playfully swat her daughter on her butt. "Elena Connor!"

Elena giggled. Turning to face her Mom, she saw that Sarah was unable to help but smile at her words. That was one of the only things she wanted, to see the people she loved happy, especially her and John's Mother. She deserved it more than anybody, in her opinion.

"So, how was the Cheerleading Competition?" Sarah asked.

"1st Place," Elena replied.

Sarah nodded, reaching over to stroke Elena's silky loosely curled rich dark chocolate brown ruby highlighted tresses. "Good. I'm proud of you." She noticed the change in her daughter's hair and quirked a dark brow at her. "When'd you do this?"

"Today," said Elena with a smile, before shrugging her slender shoulders. "Figured it was time for a change. Just like John did."

Sarah nodded. "Why don't you go upstairs? I'll finish the groceries and bring you up some pizza," she said, offering her daughter a soft smile.

Elena sent her Mother a grateful smile, then leaned over, and kissed her cheek, before turning on her heel, and making her way upstairs.

Sarah watched her go, before getting back into the unpacking. She hated, as did any Mother, seeing her children grow up, appear to no longer need her, but she was no ordinary Mother. Her children would Lead Humanity to Victory in the War Against the Machines. Sarah knew John would only be able to do that with his beloved twin sister at his side. Derek had told her that. There would be no Victory without Elena. She was just as important as John. Maybe more. She'd keep her brother tied to Humanity when he lost Faith, she would be his heart and soul when he believed he no longer had his own. And she would be the Mother to everybody left after the day the sky was on fire.

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Don't forget to review! It's the only way I know I'm not just talking to myself here. Photos and gifs of Elena's new hair have been added to my Profile!


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